Carolina Tiger Rescue

So today I was able to go out and volunteer at the Carolina Tiger Rescue (http://www.carolinatigerrescue.org/). A group of about 8 girls (including myself) from the UNC Tri-Beta Society trekked out there and I was so happy! I've been there once before, but for a public tour and I was too lazy to write about it. However, the pictures I will be posting today will be from that tour and not from today's volunteering because I did not bring my camera with me today. Turns out that was a good idea because most of the day was spend bushwhacking and trail blazing. In fact, today vaguely reminded me of clearing out the brush in South Africa at the Dell Cheetah Centre, except everything was much more green and not all of the plants were quite so prickly (although I did manage to sit on some sort of prickly rose-like plant that went right through my trousers). My subconscious must have been pretty darn excited as well, because last night I had a dream that I was back at the Dell Cheetah Centre. Strange.
Anyways, after about 3 hours of clipping away underbrush and sawing down smallish trees, the volunteers were given a tour of the facilites. CTR is home to lions, tigers, servals (YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT SERVALS - SO MUCH LOVE!!), kinkajous, binturongs, ocelots, pumas, bobcats, and pumas. They are strictly a rescue, so there is no breeding or anything going on. Most of the animals they have come from homes where people did not know what they were getting themselves into - they adopted that cute little tiger cub without thinking about the 400-lb predator it would become. It's a very well-run facility and the people there are very passionate about the animals. I was impressed. But it made me want to go back and visit Tigger and Nala and Jemima at the Dell Cheetah Centre....

ELVIS THE SERVAL!! 

My...what large teeth you have

There you have it. I have managed to find big cats even near UNC-CH. I have submitted an application to volunteer there, so hopefully this will not be a one-time affair.

Also, Guinness says hello!